Reducing roller



Dec. 711926. 1,609,544-

. W- HAMERSLEY ET AL REDUC I NG ROLLER Filed June 5. 1925 grvuenl oc 5 Q FUR/52227215]: 7

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Patented Dec. 7, 1926. UNITED STATES WILLIAM HAMERSLEY,

erena! e. Wesson, AND JosEPnInE M. ODONNELL, or

onIoAGo, ILLINOIS.

nnnucrn's ROLLER.

Application filed June a, 1925. Jsei-iai No. eases.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of devices known as reducing rollers. That is to say, rollers for massag ing the flesh of the body and limbs for re ducing the same and forstinndating blood circulation together with a general toning and invigorating effect.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a reducing roller of a new type of construction that will be more or less yielding in nature in use on the body by which, together with certain peculiarly disposed and formed vacuum cups, a more thor ugh massaging eflect can be realized and to the end, also, that marked results in flesh reduction will benoted in a given time as compared with the time required by other devices of this nature. r 7

Another object is to mount a tubular fienible roller upon acentral support in spaced relation thereto and so designed that a pneumatic action is theresult in use as a further help in body treatment.

Still another object is to form in the surface of a roller so mounted a series of vacuum cups which in connection with and due to the flexing of the roller. inwardly toward the said central support serves to produce a drawing and kneadingaction on the flesh to a much greater extent than such devices of which we are at this time aware.

In addition to these objects, certain details of construction enter'into our improved reducing roller as will appear herein aided by the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred form of the device and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device of our invention showing several rollers forming the complete device.

Figure 2 is an elevation of one of the rollers shown full size.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of one of the rollers, full size as mounted on a central support or core, and

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the roller on line -(L i-, Figure 3.

The complete reducing device as it appears in Figure 1 comprises a series of separate rollers 1 placed end to end, and a handle 2 at each side of the said series, the whole being mounted upon a rod 3 passing through the same, said rod having a suitable part at each end, as a nut i for'example, to secure the described parts in close relation and yet admit of free individual action on said rod.

One of the rollers is illustrated full size in the last three figures of the drawing and consists of a core or support 5 of wood,fo'r example, preferably cylindrical in form and of'the desired length andrhaving "near each end a peripheral, preferably rounded, groove 6 leaving outside eachsaid' groove an end shoulder 7. Surrounding the core 5 is a tubular roller of a firm but elastic material such as soft or mechanical rubber, for ex ample, whose outer surface is convexedalong its length substantially as shown, and whose ends are provided interiorly'each with an inwardly extending flange '8whose interior dian'ieter is less than the inner diameter of the walls of said roller as clearly shown in Fig-j are-3, said flange terminating in a head 9 conforming in shape to and adapted to snugly fit into the descr1bed-groove 6. The

ii'ninediate extremities of the flanges 8 outside the beadsnugly fit around and upon the described shoulders 7.

The inner wall surfaces of the roller are spaced from the core 5, as clearly shown,.so that an annular space 10 separates the two, Figure 4; In the periphery of the roller 1 is a series of substantially parallel depressions 11 lying parallel to the longitudinal line of the same, it being observed that the ends of such depressions terminate in spaced relation to the ends of such roller as shown in both Figures 2 and 8. That is to say, such depressions, which we term vacuum cups, are open only on the periphery of the roller. Preferably the groove is deepest at the middle of the length of the roller and as occasioned by the greater diameter of the latter at this point, but said depressions may be otherwise formed in this respect.

A washer or spacing ring 12 is slipped upon the rod 3 between the handles and the adjacent rollers and between the rollers themselves as in Figure 1 and, preferably, as shown in Figure 3, these washers or rings are-of a diameter sufficient to overlie the flanges 8 of the rollers, being held in close relation thereto by the described nuts 4.

The manner of use of such a device is perhaps well known but is that of grasping a handle 2 in each hand and drawing the device backward and forward in contact with the body or limb to be treated, it being understood that the cores 5 are designed to readily rotate upon the rod 3 independently of one another, the rollers since having a snug frictional lit upon the cores, of course rotating therewith.

The walls of the rollers l are forced into the space 10 against the air imprisoned between said roller and core, due to the snug fit of the heads 9 in the grooves (3, and are thus cushioned against a. too easy flexing of said walls. Any slight tendency of the ends of the roller to rock on the core will be met by the washers 12 to a great extentand thus a further resistance to wall movement is set up, and the air is more effectively retained.

The cushioning; of the walls of the roller upon the air may be likened somewhat to that of the alls of a pneumatic tire in that in the present instance while a firm contact with the flesh the result the walls are more or less yielding and the action is productive of excellent results as to treatment. without causing soreness after continued manipulations as would a practically un yielding masinge roller.

Again, due to the flexibility afforded, the walls of the roller by being permitted this inward action upon the air-cushion the walls of the vacuun'i cups yield readily under pressure and the air therein is ejected and upon removal pressure as the roller revolves the suction set up on the tlesh results in a kneading action and kissing action on the flesh with beneficial results.

The structures described may be varied slightly, be it understood, but such as will lie within the spirit and intent of the in vention and the scope of the accompanying claims. And while the device may be used without the vacuum cups the use of the latter is preferable as yielding quicker action.

Again, a soft yieldinp substance may be employed a cushion for the walls of the roller though the air cushion is preferred for the reason that the walls will more readily adapt themselves to the surfaces over which the roller is drawn. Further, the device need not necessarily include the rotation of the handles 2 and rollers relatively to the rod 8 except that by all of the rollers having movement independently they respond without dragging action.

We claim l. A massage device comprising a core having a groove in its periphery near each end, a support on which the core is adapted to rotate, and a tubular member of a yieldinc material mounted on the core having a bead near each end on its inner surface each :ulapted to seat in one of the. grooves of said core. the wall of the member between the heads thereof being spaced from the core.

:2. A massage device comprising a core having a groove in its periphery near each end, a support on which the core is adapted to rotate. a tubular member of yielding material mounted on the core having a bead near each end on its inner surface each adapted to seat in one of the grooves of said core, said member having longitudinally extending grooves in its outer surface, and a member mounted on the support at each side of the core against which the first named member abuts at its ends.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signaturcs.

VILLIAM HAMERSLEY. HARRY G. WVASSON. JOSEPHINE M. ODONNELL. 

